Newbie saying hello

I have been following the principle of Bangernomics for a few years without realising it, so when I stumbled across this amazing website I thought I better post! I suppose I am a pragmatic motorist, a car is a utility to go from one place to another and so long as it can be done in a cost effective mannor and still be comfortable – job done. I never understood my sister a few years back when she hooked up with a dealership offer of a new car and serving and was spending a fair amount on a bog standard Hyundai Coupe (mid 90s). I seem to remember one service inc parts was £350. Virtually as much as my last car!

My first car was a relatively new car, at 3 years old, so doesn’t count but did over 130k

Then it was a variety of motors, Vauxhall Astra (9 years old to start off), Ford Escort 55 van ex AA and a diesel, (13yrs) Vauxhall Belmont (12yrs), Fiat Uno (11yrs), then the 2nd best of the lot a Skoda Favorit estate (12yrs). It was the strange Skoda colour of the mid 90s that was officially Green but looked blue. I had run it for nearly two years then had some misfortune in bad weather, a slide on a snowy road and had it written off by the insurers. Problem was I hit a parked car. You know the story one broken head lamp and a slight dink in the wing, no serious damage and yet too expensive to repair, even though by the time the Insurance guy came I had already sorted a new headlamp unit and was back on the road. Got half the purchase price back, kept it and a few more months and then had the scrap value.

I was so impressed with it that I hunted out another one, even though it was a year older and 15 this one has been even better (now 18) They are not head turners in the style stakes but a great solid work horse. The engine is so willing for a 1.3. Nice timing chain noise! For most day to day driving when in traffic going at the same speed as everyone else they are fine. The only time that it is really noticeable you are in a heavy car; when the family go away on holiday to Scotland, self-catering for two weeks and the car is rammed. Some of the hills up there seem a bit steep! Last year we did 1600 miles over two weeks and clocked 43.5 mpg. Fairly good to work on, except the fuel filter it right under the car by the petrol tank under a heat shield due to the exhaust pipe. Engine bay space good but the electrics can be a bit flaky. And I like the load space in the estate/ don’t like sill at the back. Tail gate struts can give up due to weight – so far so good. This list goes on. But luckily the car keeps going. Three MOTs cleared, a bit needed doing for the last one though. Just age things like a track rod end on one side and wish bone bush, part of the exhust.But I think we might have to part ways as there are things starting to niggle and once you start spending more it is probably time to change. For example the engine mounts are starting to perish. I have packed the first one with the rubber from a spare exhaust mount I had, (the rubbers are huge for the rear!). But this year I can see rear suspension, left CV joint, (right done last year), back box on exhaust. There could be more. Might be tempted to go to a Felicia.

I have always preferred cars without a brain as there is less to go wrong, (even the Favorit has a walnut sized brain for fuel management). What I do wonder though is as new cars get more electronics, in the future bangernomics will get more expensive as the sophistication gets harder to deal with. For instance throwing lots of cash at ECUs that fail or diesels that have more complicated turbos as standard etc, etc, etc….. Hopefully I'll be proved wrong. :-)

I've never had any experience with those Favorit's but haven't heard anything bad about them. I very nearly bought a Felicia Diesel from an old work colleague a few years back after he raved on about it bit then replaced it with a Xsara Picasso.